BEAVERTON, Ore. -- It was supposed to be the Portland Timbers’ most imposing challenge of group stage, yet seven minutes into Portland’s 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League trip to San José, Costa Rica, the visitors were up on one of the region’s titans, Diego Valeri delivering a trademark, penalty-area strike in the sixth minute to embolden his team’s upset hopes.
“When you’re at Saprissa, anything can happen,” Julio Cascante remembers. The Costa Rican defender was on the bench for Deportivo Saprissa that night, coming on in the second half of the teams’ pivotal CCL game.